How do you increase employee participation in wellness programs?

Some ideas include:

Offer employees 30 minutes of their workday to go to the gym.
Let employees take two 15-minute walk breaks during the workday.
Provide healthy snacks such as fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and whole grains.
Host an employee wellness day once a month that involves fun activities and healthy foods.

How many employees use wellness programs?

The findings underscore the increasing prevalence of worksite wellness programs. About four-fifths of all U.S. employers with more than 1,000 employees are estimated to offer such programs.

How can wellness programs be improved?

Step 1: Conduct Assessments.
Step 2: Obtain Management Support.
Step 3: Establish a Wellness Committee.
Step 4: Develop Goals and Objectives.
Step 5: Establish a Budget.
Step 6: Design Wellness Program Components.
Step 7: Select Wellness Program Incentives or Rewards.
Step 8: Communicate the Wellness Plan.

What is wellness participation?

Wellness program participation is the first step employees must take before they will be able to adopt and maintain healthy behaviors and enjoy all the benefits that come from having a healthy lifestyle. People who are in the action stage of change are actively doing something to improve their health.

Can you get employees to participate in wellness programs?

But getting employees to take action — to actually participate in these programs — well, that’s another story.

Is there anything wrong with a wellness program?

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with helping employees have a fun and enjoyable work environment. All wellness programs should be fun; however, if the goal is to improve employee health and save healthcare costs, corporate health and wellness programs need to be well organized and monitored.

Why do nonparticipants not participate in wellness programs?

Yet nearly 60% of nonparticipants indicated that they would be open to participating in wellness programs but for a variety of reasons don’t. Topping the list were a lack of information or awareness inconvenience, unsupportive company culture, and trust and privacy concerns with their employer.

Can a wellness program help improve employee morale?

But a wellness program that is designed to improve employee morale could be successful if it results in improved employee morale. Failure and success in any wellness program depends on the goals of the program.

But getting employees to take action — to actually participate in these programs — well, that’s another story.

Can a employer deny an employee access to a wellness plan?

Specifically, an employer: may not deny any employee who does not participate in a wellness program access to health coverage or prohibit any employee from choosing a particular plan; and

When is an employee’s participation in a wellness program considered ” voluntary?

A wellness program also is not reasonably designed to promote health or prevent disease if it exists merely to shift costs from the employer to employees based on their health or is used by the employer only to predict its future health costs. 9. When is an employee’s participation in a wellness program considered “voluntary”?

What happens if you don’t join a wellness program?

Employers often promote these programs and their financial incentives as optional, but in some workplaces, there’s a non-participation fee: higher health premiums. Penalizing employees who don’t sign up for a wellness program sends the wrong message to your workers.